Pictures from Eddie Faican

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The NPU pitching staff tossed 17 scoreless innings in Friday's double-header with the #25 ranked Augustana Vikings, but that was not enough for Chicago's Vikings as North Park walks away from the doubleheader winless with scores of 2-0 and 6-5. NPU threatened Augie with late offensive rallies in the final innings of both contests before ultimately falling just short in each. 

Game 1 

Two-way player Bobby Bartlett operated as the Game 1 starting pitcher for NPU, and the senior out of West Chicago came through with one of the best performances of his Viking career to shut down a dangerous Augie offense that holds a team-wide .299/.432/.418 slash line.  

Bartlett carried a no-hit bid into the top of the 7th until Augustana's Ky Campbell got his side their first hit of the game. To that point, Bartlett held Augie to just three baserunners, and two of those runners were quickly dealt with thanks to a pair of double plays by the NPU defense.  

He continued on through 9 innings and even into extras, concluding his stellar performance at a final line of 9.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, and 0 ER. However, Bartlett found himself pinned as the losing pitcher after the one baserunner he surrendered in the 10th came around to give Augustana the go-ahead run.  

North Park—who had also been on the receiving end of a masterful pitching performance—nearly walked it off before extras were necessary, but a missile off the bat of Carlos Martinez unfortunately found its way right to the glove of Augustana's CF. In the 10th, the Vikings threatened with runners in scoring position before Augie's Jacob Reusch got out of the jam with a clutch strikeout to seal their win at a final score of 2-0.  

Game 2 

The North Park pitching staff again put up a strong overall performance in the second game, though a single blow-up inning afforded Augustana a sizable 6-0 lead that NPU was ultimately unable to overcome.  

In the 6th inning, Jim Zay earned the Vikings their first run of the day with a sacrifice fly to score Justin Swanson from third. That 6-1 score held until the bottom of the 9th when a late Vikings comeback nearly spoiled Augustana's chances for a sweep.  

Zay, Gio Lucchetto, and Alex DiVito all got on to start the final inning and load the bases for NPU. Following an avoidable Augustana error that cost them a run, Justin Swanson then drove in two runs with a single to bring NPU within one swing of the bat at 6-4. Nate Sommerfeld carried the momentum forwards with another base hit to make it a 6-5 ballgame, but Augustana went to their Game 1 winning pitcher Reusch to again shut the door for his side and secure the 6-5 Augie victory.  

Despite the two hard fought battles against the nationally ranked Augustana, NPU moves to 2-4 in the CCIW and 8-17 overall.  

What's Next? 

The Vikings next take the field on Tuesday, April 11th when they head to River Forest for a matchup with the Concordia University Chicago Cougars, with first pitch slotted for 3:00 P.M.